St. Francis Woman Sentenced for Manslaughter

United States Attorney Brendan V. Johnson announced that a St. Francis woman charged with manslaughter was sentenced on May 2, 2011, by U.S. District Judge Roberto A. Lange. Suzanna Valandra-Neiss, a/k/a Suzanna Valandra, age 37, was sentenced to 72 months of imprisonment, three years of supervised release, $13,054.62 restitution, and a $100 victim assessment.

Valandra-Neiss was indicted by a federal grand jury on April 13, 2010. In December 2009 Valandra-Neiss and the victim were drinking at a bar in Valentine, Nebraska. On their way home, they began arguing as the victim drove the vehicle north in Todd County. At one point the victim stopped, got out of the vehicle, and began walking down the road. Valandra-Neiss, in anger and in the heat of passion, killed the victim by striking him with the vehicle. She pled guilty to the charge on February 8, 2011.

This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and Rosebud Sioux Tribe Law Enforcement Services. Assistant U.S. Attorney Eric Kelderman prosecuted the case.

Valandra-Neiss was immediately turned over to the custody of the U.S. Marshals.